Kansas State basketball lost a ton of star power to the transfer portal.
Yeah, Wildcats fans have heard this sentence on repeat for the past few months. And honestly, they're probably going to continue hearing it until the season starts, and likely beyond that. In the event of a Big 12 blowout loss, you'll probably hear a rant about how they could've used a star guard like PJ Haggerty or Abdi Bashir Jr. from last season.
ESPN has been among those lauding its former players, commending Bashir's departure to LSU as one of the greatest moves in college basketball. The popular media outlet previously ranked him No. 93 in the nation, but it recently doubled down and specified what makes him such a great addition.
"Bashir's prolific 3-point shooting translated from Monmouth to Kansas State, and he even became more efficient in the process this past season," the article wrote. "He averaged 13.2 points while shooting 44.4% from three - on more than eight attempts per game. At Monmouth in 2024-25, Bashir attempted more than 10 3s per game at a 38 percent clip."
The sharpshooter took a massive dip in production as a Wildcat, dropping nearly seven points per game. Still, he shot 44.5 percent from 3-point range, remaining one of the country's best shooters. Bashir was the primary scorer outside of Haggerty, making his mid-season injury that much more devastating. Without him, Kansas State's already devastating season hit a new low. The outside shot lost its primary threat, and Haggerty was essentially on an offensive island each night.
Now with LSU, Bashir is anticipated to help a Tigers squad that finished dead last in the SEC last season.
"While most of the attention around LSU this offseason has been on Will Wade's pursuit of professional players - both in the United States and abroad - don't discount the addition of Bashir," the article wrote. "He's an elite 3-point shooter who has maintained his accuracy even with his high volume of outside shots. Whether he's starting or coming off the bench, Bashir will bring shooting and much-needed college experience to Baton Rouge."
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